


Emerging from the Shadows

by MashzOnMoss



Series: Emerging from the Shadows, A Warriors AU [1]
Category: Warrior Cats - Fandom
Genre: Ableism, Abusive Relationships, F/F, F/M, Fan Characters, Gen, Internalized Homophobia, LGBTQ Cats (Warriors), LGBTQ Character, M/M, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25281394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MashzOnMoss/pseuds/MashzOnMoss
Summary: With the four clans becoming five at the return of Skyclan, you would think the peace would finally befall the warrior clans...but peace doesn't seem to be something the clans can rely on.As many moons and countless seasons pass, the clans' hatred and distrust in one another grow with every rise and fall of the sun. With famine and war hanging above the heads of the clans, it seems like the violence will never end.Yet despite the looming darkness, a friendship between the new generation of clan cats emerges. A bond so strong that it surpasses even the borders set by the clans.But when clan loyalty and ambitions threaten the safety of their newfound friendship, the youth must choose which path they will follow:To complete their ancestor's failed quest and dare to try and change the clans or betray themselves to prove their loyalty and survive in their home.The fate of the clans rests in the power of these apprentices' paws...but will they forever remain in the darkness of the clans' spite or emerge from shadows to follow the light?
Series: Emerging from the Shadows, A Warriors AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831579
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. The Prologue: The Gathering Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there everyone, hope you'll enjoy the prologue of mine and a friend's story. If you're curious to know more about the story and want to ask questions, here's the link to the official EFTS (Emerging from the Shadows) Account on Tumblr:
> 
> http://eftswarriors.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also thanks to my co-writer, Alixiria for helping me proof-read the prologue, I couldn't have started this project without you and I can't wait to share our story! Down below is her Archive account, go ahead and feel free to check her account when y'all get a chance!
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alixiria

“They shall never change, Horizonlight”

“…I disagree”

A snow-white tom shook his weary head, letting out a low groan alongside the howling gale that tore through the air, commanding looming pines to sway as specks of snow crashed to the forest floor. His tail flicked, once, twice, before his bleak brown eyes stared into amber ones, glowing only with the sliver of starlight to keep them company.

“Even in death, your folly never seems to find an end, does it?” the snow-white tom sighed, licking a jet-black paw as his companion’s ruddy pelt bristled like burrs. After a second of the snowstorm’s song had passed, the ruddy tom sprang up to reply:

“My folly-“

“Do you remember these woods, Horizonlight?"

He blinked, snapping his small muzzle shut as he slowly sat back down on the forest floor.

He gazed at the towering pines, sheltering them in a coat of shadows as snow and starlight danced in the night sky. He listened as the branches sway, softly now, even when the screeching storm howled its lonely lament, playing their lullaby. He could smell the stench of swamp water from south of their meeting place, tasting the scent of wandering prey that fell victim to the flurry of snow. And though he no longer can feel them, he can still remember the crunch of pine needles crushing under his paws, the same ones that thundered through these very woods many moons ago.

So with a grin growing as he mused on memories of his short-lived youth, he gifted his companion a nod, “Course I do, how can I forget my own home?”.

“Indeed…” His companion scoffed, his jet-black tail swaying with the branches “How could you forget these very woods? How could you forget both your place of birth and deathbed?”. Horizonlight could feel a heavy stone sink to the bottom of his stomach, even in a ghostly form similar to his companion that crept towards him whilst continuing:

“How could I ever forget your foolish loyalty to a clan that only ever saw you as a toy to be played with, broken and thrown away? I should have known better than to except you of all cats to change”

“My clan cared for and loved me when I was alive!”

His companion took a step back at Horizonlight’s sudden outburst. He paid no attention to the claws which scratched the earth beneath them, yet leaving no marks after them, instead choosing to counter the small tom’s cry with a hiss.

“Only when you remained silent and didn’t attempt to make them see the error in their ways”

“But I had to do something! I had to fight back!”

"You fought against their ignorance and hatred towards cats who couldn’t reach their standards or follow their unfair rules and look where it got you! Look at yourself Horizonlight!....and you’re telling me you want our kin to continue your suicidal quest?”

Horizonlight flinched, the flames of fury fading away as he lowered his head, glancing at a grotesque scar on his ruddy chest. A black paw pressed against it as his friend heaved a heavy sigh, “Starbright, do you want our kin to suffer like we did when you know their efforts will end in vain?”

Horizonlight bit his lip at the sound of his kittenhood nickname, tucking his head under the tom's chin, trying to look away from his eyes...those dark, dark eyes.  
He felt like he could drown in their darkness…for not even starlight shone in them anymore…but he needed to face them, he needed to convince his old friend to give him assistance for this so-called “suicidal quest” of his.

“I…I don’t want them to suffer…not like we did…but that’s why Shadeeyes…” He moved his head away from its resting place, staring into Shadeeyes’ gaze as he spoke with a soothing smile, “That’s why I need them to change the clans. So that they won’t have to let other cats suffer from the clan’s hate. So that they can be happier than we were and so that their descendants can be happier too”.<

But even with those words, the veil of darkness falling over his friend’s eyes refused to lift.

“And what will I get out of this?”

“…huh?”

Shadeeyes let out a sigh, holding a black paw under the ruddy tom’s chin, “You and I both know you have a soft heart, you would cry for my kin’s demise when I would laugh at it. Yet, despite this frozen heart lacking any shred of sympathy for my blood, I still do share some warmth for you…and perhaps even for some of our friends as well”

“Even Badgertuft?”

His brown eyes blinked in surprise, but Horizonlight caught a trace of a twinkle in them along with the sliver of a smile on the snowy tom’s muzzle.  
“Yes… especially Badgertuft”

“Then that’s what you’ll get out of this” Horizonlight said, lending out a ruddy paw to his old friend “Help me guide our kin and our friends' descendants to change the clans, and you’ll stay in Starclan’s hunting grounds with him”.

Shadeeyes wrapped his black tail around his dark paws, humming an unknown tune as he found himself deep in thought. Horizonlight’s tail flicked back and forth, the chilling silence growing ever so slowly as the snow began to seep through the pines. Just as he was about to speak once more, Shadeeyes finally decided to reply:

“So if I do as you wish, I will end my ghosthood and join the stars with my Badgertuft beside, is that correct?”

Horizonlight gave him a swift nod.

Shadeeyes gifted him a smirk in return, stretching his limbs and giving his shaggy pelt a quick lick before staring into the distance “I suppose it’ll be worth having to deal with Fawnspring’s blabbering if I get to see him once again”.

“You knew she was working with me?” Horizonlight’s question was rewarded with the sound of his companion’s laughter,“You’re not the most observant tom, Starbright. I knew of her and our friends' agreement in regards to your quest, I was there when it all happened. I was planning to deny your offer due to Fawnspring’s involvement and knowing your poor heart would break…but if you are so willing to let it shatter and are offering me a proper resting place with sweet Badgertuft along with it, how could I refuse?”.

“I-…I guess you have a point”

“Don’t I always? Now then…” He glanced away from their meeting place, pointing with a pitch-black paw to a trail in the snow, “This way to our old camp?”.

“Huh? Yes, yes, that’s the way!”

Shadeeyes chuckled, padding through the pine forest with his friend by his side just as they had done so many moons ago. Despite the bitterness buried deep within his non-existent heart, he never could feel any hatred for his birth clan.

How could he, when the only memories he has of these woods are of him spending his blissful yet blind youth hidden in the cosy nest of the nursery, the queens or mothers, tucking their kits away for slumber after growing sleepy from listening to the elders’ tales? How could he when he can only recall memories of him training alongside his peers as an apprentice, catching prey and sparring with them in the pinecones and swamps during the warmer season of Greenleaf? How could he when he can only recall memories of dreaming to be a mighty warrior of Shadowclan, fighting battles of glory for his clan and hunting alongside his clanmates?

He couldn’t fuel the fires of hate for his birth clan, only to the clan who snatched him from the shelter of the pines and thrown him onto the blood-stained birch forest. For that is where his path of agony began…with the meeting of the tortoiseshell molly, a she-cat, by one of the dens.  
“Ah, it's so good to see your disgusting face again, Fawnspring!” Shadeeyes purred, slipping into the camp entrance with the smaller tom trailing behind him. She greeted the two toms in the most polite manner possible, a hiss followed by a glare.

“My, my, still the rabid dog of Thunderclan we all know and love, hmm?”

“Still the annoying furball of Shadowclan?”

Shadeeyes let out a gasp, placing a paw on his chest as he let out a loud cry, “Such savagery! truly, do you have no shame for wounding me?”. She replied with a scoff, turning away to glance at a passing black tom. His dull brown irises were identical to Shadeeyes’, so dark and bleak despite possessing the eyes of a living cat, one who was blind to the presence of the ghosts. 

“Congratulations Nightclaw” a dark molly dappled with white specks purred, exchanging a nod of welcome towards him as she emerged from the den, “You’re blessed with two sons and a single daughter”.

“Three kits?” Fawnspring hissed, whipping her head to glare at Horizonlight, who’s amber eyes were open wide. “You said there would be two-“

“Now, now Fawnspring, you can argue with Starbright after we choose the kits,” Shadeeyes said, placing a black paw in between Fawnspring and Horizonlight, facing her with a wicked grin. His fur bristled like a thistle’s head, claws just as sharp as one, as the molly continued to glare at the toms. Eventually, she turned her attention back to Nightclaw with a huff. Only then did Shadeeye’s fur settle.

"All alive?” Nightclaw said in a monotone voice, not bothering to return the welcoming gesture.

“Yes, all three are alive” the molly sighed with a flick of her tail, “You need not worry Nightclaw. After all, as a medicine cat, I must ensure the safe delivery of every kit in this clan along with healing your wounds-“

“I didn’t come here for a lecture” Nightclaw spat, walking away from the molly towards a small gathering of cats.

“Tsk, tsk, he’s inherited your poor manners” Shadeeyes muttered to his tortoiseshell companion, earning him a growl in response. Horizonlight flashed him a frown, opening his muzzle to scold him before being cut off by another voice-

“Pardon me Nightclaw, but wouldn’t you want to come in and name your kits please?” The ghosts turned their attention to a black ticked tom, his amber eyes glowing with the same warmth as Horizonlight.

"Name the eldest tom Bearkit” Nightclaw replied, not even turning his gaze to look at the amber-eyed tom, "I am the deputy of this clan, I have to sort through patrols and help our leader prepare the hunting parties before I can take time off".

"Ah...but of course" the ticked tom mumbled, flattened his ears as Nightclaw walked further and further away from the medicine cat den.

“Tallpeak?” A voice called from within the den, the tabby tom slipping back inside the shelter at the sound of his name. Shadeeyes and Horizonlight stared after Nightclaw, shaking their heads in disapproval before joining Fawnspring to enter the den. Just as they were about to do so, however, the black molly from earlier tilted her head towards them.

Ah yes, how could Shadeeyes forget? As the medicine cat of the clan, the molly would be blessed with the gift of sight, able to see both the living and the dead. A gift she would have received from Starclan themselves when they accepted her in her apprenticeship. But even with this gift, she could not touch the ghosts that she caught glimpse of. Which perhaps could be why she allowed them to enter the den, moving away towards the nursery, likely to check up on the nursing mothers, the queens, and their kits.  
Inside the den a torbie laid in a nest of pinecones and pine needles, three kits suckling at her belly. A lilac tabby tom, a tortoiseshell and white molly and a dark brown tabby tom, all mewling and writhing in their nest by their mother’s side. The dark brown tabby, in particular, was screeching a horrible symphony of mewls, clawing at his mother’s mattered fur as he searched for milk.

“Hush Oakkit” the queen murmured in a tired tone, giving her newborn son a soothing lick to his head.

“You’ve already named them, Hazelpelt?” the tom from earlier, Tallpeak, had asked with a soft purr in his throat. His eyes twinkled with awe at the newborn bundles of fur, tabby tail swishing across the den floor as he sat beside their mother.

“Only Oakkit” Hazelpelt chuckled, flattened her ears as her gentle smile faded to a frown, “I wanted Nightclaw to help me name the other two…”. Tallpeak placed his tail on the she-cat’s paw, watching her with worried eyes, the same eyes that he had seen oh so many times before on the face of a certain ruddy tom.

“He said to name the eldest Bearkit,” Tallpeak said, laying down beside Hazelpelt as he pointed at the lilac tom. She smiled in response, giving her eldest son a quick lick as she purred “A strong name for a strong kit”.

"And that one, mollies and toms, is going to the one I guide” Shadeeye announced, nudging Fawnspring as he pointed at Bearkit’s dappled sister “You’ll get the daughter”.  
She rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath bitterly. “Mollies aren’t that bad, mother used to tell me they’re easier to raise than toms” Horizonlight tried to reassure her but only received a growl for his futile attempt.

“Don’t mind her, Starbright, Hazelpelt is about to name the little molly now” Shadeeyes chuckled, turning Horizonlight’s attention back to the kits and their mother.  
“Hmm….maybe Robinkit? For the colour of her tail” Hazelpelt hummed, grooming her new-born daughter as she suckled quietly at her mother’s side. Tallpeak purred, resting his head on the queen’s back after nodding in agreement, “It’s perfect for her”.

“Robinkit…” Shadeeyes uttered, a smile spreading on his snow-white face as he laughed “Yes, truly is a perfect name for the little kit, is it not?”

“What are you talking about, badger brain?” Fawnspring spat.

“Oh little fawn, I never knew you could be so oblivious!” He said with a small purr. The molly rewarded him with a growing frown and low hiss, claws scraping the ground as Horizonlight watched the two with worry. He ignored her anger in favour of humouring her with an answer:

“She’s a flightless bird, unable to fly away from her fate”.


	2. Cats of the Clan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo folks, nothing much for this chapter, just allegiance of the clans and brief description of the characters themselves.
> 
> Also, despite Warrior Cats using she-cat in place of molly, EFTS will be using molly as it's the proper counterpart to tom though it might switch between the two terms.
> 
> IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The first chapter will be published on the 3rd of August!

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER:

Mallowstar: Tortoiseshell molly with turquoise eyes and a long, sleek tail.

DEPUTY:

Nightclaw: Tall black tom with brown eyes. Apprentice: Stonepaw.

MEDICINE CAT:

Fallenmoon: Black molly with white speckles and a large white spot between her brown eyes. Apprentice: Robinpaw

MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE:

Robinpaw: Tortoiseshell and white molly with one brown eye and a blue eye along with a fuzzy dark ginger tail with a black spot on it. Mentor: Fallenmoon

WARRIORS:

Dancingfire: Tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes.

Sharptalon: Fawn tom with white patches and scars covering his pelt along with brown eyes.

Snailtail: Dark brown molly with a short tail and yellow eyes.

Hollowbark: Black bicolour molly with copper eyes.

Bouldermoss: Gray-blue tom with lime green eyes.

Blackmist: Black tabby tom with a dusty grey pelt and golden eyes. Apprentice: Flutteringpaw

Softcloud: White and grey dappled molly with fuzzy fur and yellow eyes.

Poppyseed: Cinnamon ticked torbie molly with amber eyes.

Petalstep: Pale amber torbie molly with golden eyes.

Lionleap: Amber blotched tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Bristlefur: Grey tom with yellow eyes and spiky fur. Apprentice: Bearpaw 

Waspthorn: Cream tabby tom with a tufted tail and emerald green eyes. Apprentice: Tigerpaw

Bumblebeefoot: Pale ginger tabby tom with dark brown eyes.

Elmbranch: Dusty lilac tabby molly with pale yellow eyes.

Quickwind: Chocolate tortoiseshell and white molly with hazel eyes. Apprentice: Oakpaw 

Beechpelt: Fawn molly with darker, folded ears, lighter paws with white spots on them a white tail-tip and white patches on her head along with brown eyes.

Rookheart: Black ticked tom with a white underbelly and brown eyes.

Hazelpelt: Torbie and white molly with one amber eye and one greyish-blue eye.

Longscar: Cinnamon ticked tabby tom with green eyes and a white speck on his chest along with a long scar stretching from his back to his shoulder.

Jaggedleg: Dark grey tabby molly with yellow eyes and a broken back leg. Apprentice: Sheeppaw

Sandybelly: Dusty grey tabby tom with light green eyes.

Tallpeak: Brown ticked tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Stickpaw

Ambersky: Red bicolour tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Pinepaw

Lightningcry: Black tom with a white splash on his chest, a broken tail and yellow eyes. Apprentice: Rockpaw

Littleberry: Dark brown molly with a white muzzle and paws along with brown eyes and a stubbed tail. Apprentice: Honeypaw

APPRENTICES:

Honeypaw: Tan molly with chocolate tortoiseshell markings on her face, legs, tail and ears along with amber eyes and a white tail tip. Mentor: Littleberry

Stickpaw: Calico molly with green eyes and a white tail tip. Mentor: Tallpeak

Flutteringpaw: Pale lilac tabby molly with bright yellow eyes. Mentor: Blackmist

Sheeppaw: Curly black molly with yellow eyes. Mentor: Jaggedleg

Stonepaw: Bluish-gray molly with green eyes. Mentor: Nightclaw

Rockpaw: Grey tortoiseshell molly with golden eyes. Mentor: Lightningcry

Pinepaw: Cinnamon blotched tabby tom with yellow eyes. Mentor: Ambersky

Tigerpaw: Amber non-tabby molly with green eyes. Mentor: Waspthorn

Bearpaw: Lilac tabby tom with amber eyes along with a short tail. Mentor: Bristlefur

Oakpaw: Small, dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.Mentor: Quickwind

QUEENS:

None

ELDERS:

Lichenbark: White molly with ginger patches, a greying muzzle and brown eyes.

Spidertooth: Dark brown ticked tabby with a grey muzzle and green eyes.

Curlymouse: Curly, cinnamon molly with brown eyes.

THUNDERCLAN 

LEADER:

Thistlestar: A battle-scarred ginger tabby tom with green eyes and curled ears. Apprentice: Snowdroppaw

DEPUTY:

Coltcharge: Tall, brown spotted tabby tom with brown eyes. Apprentice: Jasminepaw

MEDICINE CAT:

Uraleye : Grey tom with copper eyes.

MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE:

Copperpaw: Calico molly with amber eyes.

WARRIORS:

Astroflame: Long-furred, black golden tabby molly with golden eyes.

Ivytail: Grey blotched tabby tom with hazel eyes and a long tail.

Yarrowpetal: Amber and white molly with brown eyes.

Aspenburr: Dark grey tom with brown eyes, white chin and underbelly.

Inkspeckle: Dark grey brindled bicolour molly with dark blue eyes.

Foxpuddle: Lanky, curly-furred dark reddish-brown tom with darker brown legs, tail and face along with copper eyes and a small scar on his neck.

Tealpaws: Small, black molly with white toes, round ears and lime green eyes and a scar on her neck. Apprentice: Cherrypaw

Eagleface: Sleek, dark ginger molly with a creamy-white underbelly and tiny patches of black. She has dark hazel eyes. Apprentice: Dawnpaw

Grizzlyroar: Large, chocolate tom with green eyes and a scarred muzzle.

Ebonypelt: Dark creamy-brown spotted tabby tom with hazel eyes, a paler underbelly, curly fur and a bushy tail.

Quillclaw: Dark brown tabby tom with creamy-white paws, underbelly and chin along with bright amber eyes and a nick in his ear.

Prickleleaf: Ginger molly with pale green eyes and curled ears.

Mauverose: Lilac tabby molly with wavy fur, a white muzzle and brown eyes. Apprentice: Dewpaw

Linnethop: Lilac molly with large, pale amber eyes and a mane of fur around her neck.

Blueblaze: Pale grey molly with barely visible tabby markings and hazel eyes.

Vividice: Long-furred, white molly with cream patches and orange eyes.

Galestrike: White molly with grey tortoiseshell patches on her face, legs, ears and tail, ragged fur and blue eyes.

Scarletsky: Tall, dark ginger non-tabby tom with one blue eye and one amber eye. Apprentice: Duskpaw

Lowhawk: Small, bright ginger tabby tom with grey and white patches along with pale blue eyes.

Brookecho: Dark brown tom with brown eyes and streaks of white on his paws, legs, tail and neck. Apprentice: Moonpaw

Shadeddog: Black tom with a white muzzle and paws along with dark blue eyes. Apprentice: Sunpaw

Hushbite: Black molly with a white muzzle and dark hazel eyes.

Violetflurry: Long-furred, brown tabby molly with golden eyes.

Hollystalk: Black molly with faint tabby stripes, lime-green eyes, white toes and a streak of white around her neck.

Onyxgaze: Tortoiseshell tom with hazel eyes and pale ginger patches.

APPRENTICES:

Snowdroppaw: Short-furred and long-legged white tom with hazel eyes. Mentor: Thistlestar

Moonpaw: Black, silver tabby tom with golden eyes. Mentor: Brookecho

Sunpaw: Amber smoke molly with dark brown eyes. Mentor: Shadeddog

Jasminepaw: White molly with black splotches and yellow eyes. Mentor: Coltcharge

Cherrypaw: White tom with amber patches and brown eyes. Mentor: Tealpaws

Duskpaw: Black tom with a white underbelly, lower muzzle, front paws and back legs along with forest green eyes. Mentor: Scarletsky

Dawnpaw: Cream molly with a white chest, muzzle, paws and tail tip along with green eyes. Mentor: Eagleface

Dewpaw: White molly with a grey face, legs and tail, blue eyes, sleek fur and barely visible cream specks. Mentor: Mauverose

QUEENS:

Willowslip: Long furred, chocolate tabby molly with amber eyes. Mother to Thistlestar's kits, Nightingalekit: Tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes and Mudkit: Chocolate tabby tom-kit with amber eyes.

Jadeheart: Grey calico molly with pale yellow eyes, Mother of Oxkit: Amber tabby tom-kit with golden eyes and Rabbitkit: Black molly with splashes of white on her face and pale blue eyes.

Boarbelly: Broad-shoulder, grayish-brown tom with claw marks on his chin and brownish-orange eyes. Father of Fleetkit: Reddish-brown tom-kit turquoise eyes, Tumblekit: Cinnamon tom-kit with orange eyes, Quiverkit: Dusty grey tom-kit with turquoise eyes, Whisperkit: Chocolate tom-kit with brownish-orange eyes and Flowerkit: Dusty reddish-brown molly with pale amber eyes.

ELDERS:

None

Skyclan

LEADER:

Flintstar: Thick-furred, dark grey spotted tabby tom with bright yellow eyes and a short tail.

DEPUTY:

Chasingdream: White molly with dark grey tabby legs, tail and face along with blue eyes.

MEDICINE CAT:

Cricketskip: Dark ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes.

WARRIORS:

Longtooth: Chocolate-coloured and white tom with hazel eyes. Apprentice: Reindeerpaw

Brightstripe: Tall, sunshine bicolour tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Victorypaw

Rowanfrost: Dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Grasspaw

Slate-eye: Black molly with clear yellow eyes.

Martenwish: Creamy-white molly with blackish-brown tail, legs and face, a white chest and aqua-blue eyes.

Falconsoar: Grey ticked tabby molly with hazel eyes. Apprentice: Antpaw

Harrierhaze: Long furred, silver-grey and white tom with yellow eyes, faint stripping and a white streak under his eye.

Vinestalk: Chocolate spotted torbie molly with hazel eyes, long tail and paler underbelly.

Tempestwatcher: Black smoke tom with turquoise eyes.

Roeface : Chocolate smoke molly with pale green eyes.

Crimsonblaze: Ginger non-tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Azaleaflame: Black tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes, a torn ear and a scarred muzzle.

Ptarmigantail: White molly with a black face and back along with yellow eyes.

Deerpelt: Fawn molly with orange eyes.

Ploverpelt: Dusty chocolate spotted tabby tom with two white streaks on his hazel eyes, white underbelly, chest and paws.

Capercailliecry: Black tom with dark hazel eyes.

Shrikescreech: Black, silver spotted tabby tom with sharp, hazel eyes.

Tinytalon: Dull cinnamon tom with hazel eyes.

Heavydove: Grey ticked tabby molly with leaf green eyes.

Lynxfang: Thick-furred, dark brown spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes and a short tail.

Raccoonstep: Thick-furred, creamy-white molly with blackish-brown legs, bushy tail and face along with aqua-blue eyes.

Daffodilthorn: Cream non-tabby molly with yellow eyes.

APPRENTICES:

Victorypaw: Black molly with odd white spotting and bright amber eyes. Mentor: Brightstripe

Grasshopperpaw: Sunshine tabby tom with white and light green eyes. Mentor: Rowanfrost

Reindeerpaw: Tall, chocolate smoke tom with light green eyes. Mentor: Longtooth

Antpaw: Red non-tabby tom with amber eyes and a scar on his shoulder. Mentor: Falconsoar

QUEENS:

Buntingdash: White molly with chocolate caliby patches on back and face along with a white-tipped tail and misty green eyes. Mother of Tempestwatcher's kits: Iciclekit: Black tuxedo molly with white-tipped tail and misty green eyes, Beetlekit: Silver chocolate blotched bicolour molly with pale green eyes and Rustlekit: Cinnamon blotched caliby tom with white-tipped tail and pale green eyes.

ELDERS:

None

RIVERCLAN

LEADER:

Vixenstar: Calico molly with amber eyes.

DEPUTY:

Stoattail: Cinnamon tom with olive-green eyes and a pale underbelly.

MEDICINE CAT:

Eelsting: White molly with grey legs, face, ears and tail along with aquamarine eyes.

WARRIORS:

Tawnytalon: Ginger blotched tabby with white tom and ice-blue eyes. Apprentice: Icepaw

Newtclaw: Tall, black tom with sharp amber eyes.

Bayflower: Grey caliby molly with pale yellow eyes and a greying muzzle.

Volescratch: Tortoiseshell molly with copper eyes and a pale underbelly.

Juniperfall: Grey tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice: Owlpaw

Quietwave: Black tabby tom with amber eyes.

Lakemist: Chocolate molly with teal eyes and a feathery tail.

Pearlfur: White molly with lilac blotched tabby patches and blue eyes.

Appleshine: Cinnamon spotted tabby tom with hazel eyes.

Lilydance: Cream golden smoke tom with leaf-green eyes.

Coralfrost: Cream golden blotched tabby molly with green eyes. Apprentice: Kestrelpaw

Ripplesong: Fawn tabby tom with a white underbelly and turquoise eyes.

Havenwhisper: Fawn tom with orange eyes. Apprentice: Squirrelpaw

Weaselsnout: Chocolate torbie molly with olive-green eyes.

Myrtlebloom: Dark brown tabby tom with pale yellow eyes and a limp back leg.

Blazecoat: Amber ticked torbie tom with amber eyes.

Yewthorn: Dark brown tom with a white muzzle, orange eyes and a nick in his ear. Apprentice: Ferretpaw

Rapidlightning: Dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes and feathery fur. Apprentice: Wildpaw

Orbweb: Reddish-brown smoke tom with white paws, muzzle, locket and tail tip along with ice blue eyes. Apprentice: Otterpaw

Doveeye: Cream non-tabby and white tom with light blue eyes and a short tail. Apprentice: Mistypaw

Feralfire: Dark brown tabby tom with faint tabby striping, messy fur and bright green eyes. Apprentice: Drakepaw

Gloomrise: Spiky, black tom with blue eyes.

Eveningflight: Black molly with copper eyes, a pale underbelly and paws.

Tidechaser: Grey blotched torbie molly with blue eyes and a white muzzle.

Zephyrstep: Black silver shaded tom with teal eyes.

APPRENTICES:

Icepaw: Creamy-white tom with yellow eyes. Mentor: Tawnytalon

Owlpaw: White molly with cream face, legs, tail and ears and crystal blue eyes. Mentor: Juniperfall

Kestrelpaw: Ginger spotted tabby molly with bright amber eyes and a scar on her muzzle. Mentor: Coralfrost

Mistypaw: Black smoke molly with golden eyes. Mentor: Doveeye

Wildpaw: Grey blotched tabby tom with white and yellow eyes. Mentor: Rapidlightning

Ferretpaw: Creamy-brown and white molly with dark brown legs, face and tail with copper eyes. Mentor: Yewthorn

Drakepaw: Black tom with a white neck, tail-tip and amber eyes. He has a scar over one eye Mentor: Feralfire

Otterpaw: Cinnamon tortoiseshell cat with lime green eyes. Mentor: Orbweb

Squirrelpaw: Ruddy, black ticked tabby molly with stormy sea-green eyes. Mentor: Havenwhisper

QUEENS:

None

Elders:

Smokebreeze: Torbie and white tom with a greying muzzle and amber eyes.

WINDCLAN: 

LEADER:

Woollystar: Red ticked tabby tom with prickly fur and hazel eyes.

DEPUTY:

Buzzardfang: Cinnamon blotched tabby tom with a grey, scarred muzzle, torn ears and missing patches of fur along with light green eyes.

MEDICINE CAT:

Sweetsong: Cream non-tabby molly with hazel eyes.

WARRIORS:

Snooktooth: (Chimera) Black tom with a white underbelly, paws and muzzle along with forest green eyes and one ear. He has splashes of cream along his sides. Apprentice: Goldenpaw

Gorserunner: Bright ginger ticked tabby tom with golden eyes.

Coldnight: Black tom with rusting and golden eyes. Apprentice: Chiffchaffpaw

Hophare: Fawn blotched tabby molly with golden eyes and wide ears.

Speckledfeather: Pale grey spotted tabby molly with pale yellow eyes and white paws. Apprentice: Pipitpaw

Stormchaser: Dark grey spotted tabby tom with tiny white hairs from battles along with yellow eyes, a scarred muzzle and tattered ears.

Heatherpad: Dark brown spotted tabby molly with a white muzzle and blue eyes. She has a single speck of white on her forehead.

Whiteflash: White tom with light brown eyes and scars scattered on his back.

Harespring: Fawn tom with lighter paws and underbelly along with hazel eyes.

Hickorypelt: Dark creamy brown molly with black legs, tail and face along with olive-green eyes.

Ramhorn: Chocolate tom with white paws and unusual face white markings. He has ice blue eyes and prickly fur.

Quailflight: Dark brown spotted torbie molly with hazel eyes. Apprentice: Batpaw

Houndbite: Tall, chocolate and cinnamon bicolour tom with a scar on his right cheek and hazel eyes.

Ashenpond: Black silver tabby tom with sea-green eyes and a scar across his face.

APPRENTICES:

Batpaw: Tall, dark grey tom with a white muzzle and dark blue eyes. Mentor: Moorhenflight

Pipitpaw: Cinnamon blotched tabby tom with white patches and golden eyes. He has wide ears. Mentor: Speckledfeather

Chiffchaffpaw: Dusty brown tom with a white underbelly and brown eyes. Mentor: Coldnight

Goldenpaw: Golden ticked tabby molly with golden eyes. Mentor: Snooktooth

QUEENS:

Sleeksnow: Sleek furred, cinnamon blotched tabby molly with a white underbelly and leaf green eyes. (Mother to Coldnight and Stormchaser's kits) Snowkit: White and grey spotted molly with pale green eyes and Lupinekit: Black tom with white front paws, back legs, muzzle and underbelly. He has one leaf green eye and one pale blue eye.

Harveststalk: Chocolate ticked torbie molly with green eyes. Mother to Deerkit: Brown and white molly with green eyes, Fawnkit: Lilac molly with bright amber eyes, Buckkit : Cinnamon tortoiseshell with white molly and golden-green eyes, Stagkit: Chocolate molly with golden eyes and Doekit: Fawn ticked tabby molly with a white muzzle and ear. She has pale amber eyes.

Pigeonkit: Black silver ticked tabby molly with yellow eyes.

ELDERS:

None


	3. Chapter One, The Promise of Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With young Robinkit now Robinpaw, training under the careful eye of Shadowclan's medicine cat, Fallenmoon, she must begin her journey to find her proper place among the clan.
> 
> But even with every passing sunrise and sunset, Robinpaw grows more and more uncertain of her destiny. Does she really belong in the medicine cat role or should she have chosen the path of a warrior instead? 
> 
> As insecurities and worries begin to circle her like vultures, Robinpaw starts to find comfort in the distant woods. Perhaps she will not walk alone on her search for belonging.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter One is finally out! This one took some ages to write but at least I had my co-writer, Alixira, to help out with characterization, grammar and the addition of some fun lines in this chapter.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and hope you'll stick around for more, enjoy.

Why do I still feel lost?

Robinpaw never thought she’d find such simple question so…haunting.

Yes, haunting, for like a vicious phantom who’s flames of fury would not be quenched without the sickeningly sweet taste of vengeance, it haunted her. Lurking, creeping in the dark crevices of her mind, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Then, darting back into its den of darkness, where it remained until Robinpaw was too distracted to keep it in her cage.

She didn’t know why she even tried. It always escaped. Always came back, always struck her down. And always when she least expected it.  
Such as now, whilst staring at petals and leaves of snow-white and forest green laying on the floor of the pine forest, trying to remember their names as her mentor awaited an answer.

Why did she still feel lost when it had already been almost half a moon since she grew from a “kit” to a “paw”? Why did she still feel lost when trying to wrap her little head around the names of various herbs and medicines that she was being taught? Why did she still feel lost when she already picked the path of medicine cat?  
And was she still thinking of this same, stupid question when she should focus on answering Fallenmoon’s question instead of standing there a dumb kit who still couldn’t speak?

Robinpaw shook her head with the force of a badger. She paused for a moment, glancing at the herbs once more before inhaling the chilling air and counting the passing seconds of silence.  
One…two…three.

Finally, she answered: “…daisy and..dock leaves?”

Robinpaw felt her heart sink to the bottom of her hollow stomach by just the sight Fallenmoon shaking her head:

“Chamomile and Horsetail”

Robinpaw lowered her head with flattened ears, discovering the ground was far more interesting now. It was if you already used to the sight of disappointed faces. Her father gave her many, especially after her desire to be a medicine cat came to light. And even now, with the addition of a low growl and pair of rolling eyes, whilst taking a quick glimpse at her before returning to her brother’s battling training.

“Don’t mind him, Nightclaw has always looked like his mother feed him bitter herbs for breakfast” Fallenmoon glared, brushing Robinpaw’s flank with her speckled tail “It takes moons to remember the name of each herb, you’ll find it easier with time”.

Yet Robinpaw couldn’t help but feel as though she forgets the name of every herb she learns, no matter how much time has passed or how much effort she puts in learning them.  
She doesn’t know how she still has the patience to deal with such a burdensome apprentice like Robinpaw. After all, all she does in their training sessions is mix up herb names and panic when asked to heal a wound. She doesn’t even get that right either when she isn’t cowering like a kit yowling for their mother.

…Maybe she should have been a warrior apprentice instead. At least then she’d be able to fight off any intruders and maybe even add something to the dwindling fresh-kill pile…but what if she ends up letting those intruders escape? What if she would have to come back to the clan empty-pawed like all the recent hunting patrols and tell her clan that they weren’t able to find food again?

What if she failed that too? But if she couldn’t afford to be a warrior, then she’d had to be a medicine cat, right?  
But how could she hope to find her place and help the clan if she couldn’t do her job right?

How was she-

“Robinpaw!”

She let out a squeak followed by a jump, fur bristled like a burr as she whipped her head around to Fallenmoon and Tallpeak.

“Settle down Robinpaw, I was asking you if you wanted to take a break and see the warrior apprentices’ sparring match. Tallpeak said Bearpaw will be taking part in it” Fallenmoon chuckled, brown eyes fixated on the frightened apprentice. Robinpaw only now realised how much thinner her face had gotten over the past moon.

“…Oh…sorry” Robinpaw mumbled with a slight cough, gazing at the ticked tom in front of her with ears pressed against her head.

“Sheeppaw also requested that you’d come as well” Tallpeak added, his skinny tail flicking towards the gathered group of cats, “It’ll be her first battle session with such a large group and she’d like you to see it”.

Sheeppaw. Yes, she remembered Sheeppaw. They were denmates in her kithood.

She was with the warrior apprentices’ now, the black bundle of fur waving a petite paw at Robinpaw in the distance, looking almost like a walking storm cloud with her ridiculous amount of fluff.

She was smiling too…still smiling…when even Robinpaw had barely spoken to her after starting her training…she must be so lonely without Robinpaw there…and with only Flutteringpaw to keep her company...her only surviving littermate.

Her littermates…her poor, poor littermates…Fuzzkit and Cloudkit.

Why did they have to die instead of Robinpaw?

They would have made the clan proud, they would be fighting alongside Sheeppaw, maybe even training with her now. They would have caught prey to feed the clan and fought off intruders with ease. They may have even been better medicine cat apprentices than Robinpaw ever could.

And here she is, failing at her duties and not even speaking to their sister for nearly a moon. She really should accept the offer, it would make up for her being such a horrible friend, to them and to Sheeppaw.

She gave Sheeppaw a quick smile and wave in return then answered Tallpeak “Yeah, I’ll join”.

“Then it’s settle. Hurry along now Spiderlegs, I don’t wish to be late for my nephew’s first-team battle” Fallenmoon purred, butting heads with the ticked tom before trotting away towards the warriors. Tallpeak rolled his eyes at the nickname, not with a low growl but with a quiet chuckle as he muttered: “Seems as though that molly never grows old”.  
He took a step forward, pausing and glancing at Robinpaw, waiting until she joined his side and the two followed Fallenmoon’s trail.

“Robinpaw, have you eaten your rations today?” Tallpeak asked in a hushed whisper, nudging Robinpaw’s ribcage as he flashed her a frown. Robinpaw gulped, remaining silent, letting her growling stomach answer for her.

“Robinpaw”

“I didn’t get mine…” She lied, lowering her head. It wasn’t a lie per se, she did get them but she gave them to Bearpaw…on Nightclaw’s orders.

“Then you shall have mine, and no, you will not decline. Hazelpelt has eaten hers already, she’s worried about you and so am I” Tallpeak’s tone, though gentle, remained firm as he pressed his head against Robinpaw’s, “Understand?”.

Robinpaw sighed, gifting him a nod.

“Wonderful, I knew you were a clever little robin” He smiled, pressing his tail against her flank before walking off towards a grey tom, a grey tabby molly and Nightclaw. The grey warriors greeted her with either smiles or bows…Nightclaw only with a glance.

Was Robinpaw just a ghost to him?

“Hey!” She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of a living bundle of fur, Sheeppaw.

“Oh, umm, hi” Robinpaw laughed awkwardly, Sheeppaw smiling at her as she butted her head against her shoulder.

“Glad to see you came! I promise ya you won’t regret it” She chirped, placing black paws on Robinpaw’s shoulder and standing on her hind legs to lean in and whisper into her ear, “Don’t be too upset when I get to beat the living fur off your brother”.

“Trust me, I won’t. In fact, I’ll be laughing my tail off if you even manage to do it” Robinpaw purred in reply, a smirk spreading on Sheeppaw’s face as she sat down, licking a paw before brushing it against her ear.

“Oh I will, I am not planning to lose my rations to either him or Stonepaw” She paused her grooming to stick out her tongue at a greyish-blue molly chatting away with Bearpaw, “That furball is gonna regret thinking I’m some dainty little furball, I don’t go down that easily.”

Robinpaw’s bushy tail raised high in the air, her eyes widening: “You placed a bet on your rations? Isn’t that dangerous?”

Sheeppaw shrugged, giving her paw another lick “You only live once”.

Robinpaw opened her mouth to rebuttal but decided against it. This wasn’t the first of Sheeppaw’s dangerous endeavours and reckless games, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Trying to argue against her would be about as successful as making a mouse fly. So instead, she decided to change the subject.

“Where’s Stickpaw?”

“My partner in crime?” She flicked a black paw towards one of the nearby pine trees at a skinny calico molly, napping on one of the lower branches of the nearby pine trees, “Over there”.  
“Did she also make the bet?”

“Yep, don’t worry too much about though, Sticky may not look the part but she’s class at fighting. Stonepaw and Bearpaw will be having their tails in a twist by the time we’re done with them”.

“I see…” Robinpaw mumbled, sighing as she shook her head slightly. She would have expected Tallpeak’s apprentice to at least have some form of common sense, but then again, with a name like Stickpaw, what was she expecting?

“Apprentices! Your sparring match will start soon, get into your teams!” The grey tabby molly from earlier, Jaggedleg, called, walking towards Sheeppaw.

"Bushpaw, you can wake up Stickpaw, can't you?" Jaggedled asked with a cold tone. Sheeppaw swatted a black paw at her with a hiss,"Yeah I can, and how about you get my name right for once, Icebreath?"

"Maybe I will when you get mine right, and when get better aim while you're at it" she sighed, dodging the attack with ease. She smacked Sheeppaw's head with a tabby tail as she turned away, "Now get going or I'll be telling Softcloud she's got a lazy bundle of fur for a daughter"

"Yeah, yeah" Sheeppaw grumbled as she rubbed her head with a paw, leaping at the pine before clawing her way up,"And I'll be telling her she's got an overgrown icicle for a firstborn". Jaggedleg whipped her head around to glare, Sheeppaw stuck out her tongue in response. She rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath, leaving her apprentice to focus on awakening her clanmate.

“Stickpaw, wake up,” She said, nudging the snoring apprentice with a paw. Stickpaw remained slumbering. “Stickpaw, wake up!” She shouted into her ear this time, smacking her flank. She was still quiet.

“You have left me with no choice,” Sheeppaw said in a solemn tone with a low hiss, looking down at Robinpaw “Hey can you do me a favour?”.

“Depends on what it is and whether or not I feel a shred of self-respect or sanity today” Robinpaw replied.

“Catch Sticky for me”

“Hold on, how-“

Before Robinpaw could finish her question, Sheeppaw pushed Stickpaw off the pine branch with all her might, the startled molly scrapping against the branch that she had dozed off on oh so very peacefully seconds earlier. With a shriek, the calico apprentice began falling, shards of pine bark following her, as Robinpaw darted back and forth, trying to figure out where the molly was gonna fall.

Luckily, Stickpaw manages to twist her body and safely land with all her limbs intact instead of crashing to the ground and shattering her bones like pinecones.  
“Oh nevermind, she did it herself,” Sheeppaw said with a shrug, jumping off the branch. Stickpaw whipped her head around to face the tiny black molly.  
“Sheeppaw, how could you?! I was having such a great dream, it was about-“

“Apprentices, battle” Nightclaw yowled, smacking his tail against the ground in annoyance, muttering something under his breath. The apprentices decide it would be wise to obey, perhaps the only wise decision they have made all day.

Robinpaw took a seat by Fallenmoon’s side, watching as the apprentices gathered around their mentors as they spoke, or more specifically, the grey tom spoke:  
“Remember that this isn’t a game. This is preparation for when you will all have to one day fight against our rival clans to defend our territory and prey. Our clan is in dire need of more warriors and prey. You four have to learn to take responsibility and-“

“Bristlefur we already know that already, just tell us the rules-“

“Bearpaw” Nightclaw growled, glaring at his son, “This is not a game. We’re in a famine now, we can’t have pesky apprentices like you messing up”.

“With all respect Nightclaw, Bearpaw only wishes to start the battle. They were not born yesterday, they have spent their kithood living in famine. It would be best if Bristlefur moved on to the rules” Tallpeak said, placing a paw between Bearpaw and Nightclaw.

Nightclaw hissed, turning away from the tom. Bristlefur waited for a moment before speaking again:  
“Alright then, the rules it is. Your opponent must be pinned down for at least three seconds or surrender for you to win, you may not fight with claws unsheathed. Both members of a team must be defeated for your team to succeed. Understand?”

The apprentices all nodded in unison. As the warriors joined Fallenmoon and Robinpaw, Nightclaw leaned in to whisper something into Robinpaw’s ear:

“Watch Bearpaw closely, he’s what you should have been”

She gave a nod.

With a loud yowl, Stonepaw charged at Sheeppaw while Bearpaw lunged at Stickpaw. Sheeppaw rolled away from Stonepaw’s attack with ease, springing back up just in time to swipe a paw at the blueish-grey molly.

Stonepaw ducked her head just in time, headbutting Sheeppaw’s stomach, jumping away from the black molly who tumbled backwards.

“Sorry about that, did I hit you a little too hard, furball?” Stonepaw sneered whilst Sheeppaw lifted her head to face her.

“Funny, I didn’t feel a thing”

“Well, I guess I didn’t hit you hard enough!”

Stonepaw and Sheeppaw charged at each other with the speed of lightning, their paws thundered against the ground as they zigzagged across the battlefield. Sheeppaw sprung up into the air, leaping over Stonepaw, only to have the molly bit her tail and drag her down to the ground.

With a shriek, Sheeppaw slammed a black paw down on Stonepaw’s head as she was landing, jumping away from the molly once her tail was free, spinning around to face her.  
As Stonepaw lifted her head, the black molly lunged at her like a shadow, screeching and yowling alongside her opponent as the two wrestled on the forest floor, creating a swirling storm of dust and pinecones as they did so.

Meanwhile, Stickpaw had slid under Bearpaw, turning around to nip his hind leg. When the tom tried to face Stickpaw, she slid under him and repeated her attack.

Again. And again. And again. Until finally, Bearpaw pounced on a pine tree, before jumping from it to attack Stickpaw, stretching out a lilac paw to smack her face with such force, she fell to the ground.

She rolled away from him, springing up in time to dodge his pounce, smacking his face with her long tail.

“Fight me, head-on coward!” Bearpaw roared.

Stickpaw shrugged in response: “Alright, your fault for calling me a coward”

“I am only speaking the truth-“

Stickpaw headbutted him, wrapping her paws around his back as he screeched in pain, rolling to the side. He kicked her stomach in return, forcing Stickpaw to let go of her grasp, and roll away.

Just as the two of them began to charge, a loud screech cut through the air as Stonepaw managed to land a kick on Sheeppaw’s stomach, sending the small apprentice flying across the battlefield and hitting a pine tree.

“Sheeppaw!” Robinpaw yowled, stretching out a paw before having Fallenmoon place her own in front of her.

“Let her fight, a true warrior accepts the sacrifices they must make in battle”

“Something you wouldn’t understand with your feeble heart” Nightclaw added in a low whisper, just enough for Robinpaw to hear but not loud enough for Fallenmoon to overhear his comment.

Robinpaw bit her lip, sitting back down to watch the fight.

“Give up now?” Stonepaw asked.

“Not a chance!” Sheeppaw replied.

Stonepaw charged at her once again. But Sheeppaw was already prepared. Leaping into the air for the second time, she jumped over Stonepaw, slamming her paws hard on her tail as she called out:  
“Stickpaw!”

“On it!”

Stickpaw leapt at Bearpaw, grappling onto him like a burr as he tried to wrestle free until she kicked him square in the stomach, causing him to crash into Stonepaw just as Sheeppaw jumped out of the way.

The two apprentices collided into one another, screeching and screaming at one another before rolling away on the battlefield. They laid on the ground, motionless.

Silence. Nothing but silence.

Robinpaw could hear her heart hammer against her chest. Something wasn’t right. Stickpaw remained in place, her fur prickling as she too recognized a sudden chill in the air.

Sheeppaw didn’t.  
Instead, the black molly charged towards Stonepaw, pouncing on her as she was about to pin her down-

With a loud screech Sheeppaw, came crashing to the ground as the lilac tom flung his enter body at her with enough force to crush her, slamming his unsheathed paw against her head as he pinned her down.

A metallic taste filled the air. Blood. Robinpaw smelled blood.

The same blood trickling down Sheeppaw’s face as Bearpaw kept her pinned to the ground.

“Enough!” Fallenmoon commanded with a harsh hiss, racing towards the battling apprentices with Jaggedleg by her side, her eyes widening at the sight of scarlet on the black bundle of fur, “Bearpaw that’s enough!”.

“But I haven’t won the battle yet!” He spat, pressed his paw harder against Sheeppaw’s face as she squirmed under his grasp, “I am not going to lose to some Riverclan reject and a half-clan lover!”

“Are you deaf?! Get off her!” Jaggedleg spat back, smacking Bearpaw away to lay beside Sheeppaw. She nudged the black molly with her muzzle, uttering whispers while her tail sprayed sand as it swayed. It slowed once Sheeppaw had given her a groan. Fallenmoon was gifted a growl from Jaggedleg as she lifted a paw towards Sheeppaw, only daring to move again when the molly's tail stopped swaying. Only then did she allow Fallenmoon to examine the apprentice’s wound.

“Bearpaw's right” Nightclaw bared fangs at Stickpaw and Sheeppaw whilst he spoke “The battle isn’t over yet and I won’t allow any son of mine to be bested by two of the Shadowclan’s most disloyal members”

“Disloyal? Because they’re not pure Shadowclan? Are you forgetting that when you had kits with Hazelpelt, Nightclaw, you had kits with a half-clan cat?” Fallenmoon stared at Nightclaw, the sunlight shining on her golden talons that slide from her paw. Jaggedleg smacked her tabby tail against the earth with a growl, "If you've got something to say about us half-clan cats, you better hurry up before I make you into crowfood!". Nightclaw opened his muzzle to respond but Fallenmoon cut him off: “Robinpaw, fetch me some cobwebs. Now”

Within a heartbeat, Robinpaw raced off into the depths of Shadowclan’s pine forest, leaving her clanmates behind her.

Cobwebs. Cobwebs. Cobwebs.

“He was right you know”

She skidded to a halt, scraping up some of the pine shards and cones scattered around her. She scanned the area, turning her head around to catch sight of a tortoiseshell molly, her pelts flickering like starlight in the rays of the sun. She took a deep breath, turning around to face the molly properly before speaking.

“Where are the cobwebs, Fawnspring?”

The tortoiseshell molly rolled her eyes, resting her face on a pine tree as she swished her tail back and forth like a vine.

“You should’ve been more like Bearpaw. If you were then maybe you’d be actually good at your training and would have remembered the cobwebs are beside the Red Riverbed…and maybe the clan wouldn’t be respecting you just because your father is the deputy”

Robinpaw remained silent, deciding to turn away and heading towards the given location instead.

She was already used to it, the comparisons of her and her elder brother. She knew he was better than her. That’s why she gave up her rations to him, she wasn’t doing as well as he was in her training, so why keep the prey?

He already found his place in the clan. She didn’t.

The sound of running water lead her to the Red Riverbed, the border between Thunderclan and Shadowclan. And just as Fawnspring had said, there were cobwebs growing in a small trunk just beside the river. What she didn’t mention was that there were three Thunderclan apprentice dragging what seemed to be a squirrel that carried a strange scent into the bushes.

“Fox dung!” the black and white tom muttered, his forest green eyes widening in terror as he dropped the squirrel from his jaws.

“Jasminepaw, Duskpaw, run for it!” an amber and white tom shouted at the tuxedo tom, Duskpaw, as she began to run, only to be stopped by a certain calico apprentice pinning her down to the ground.

“Let go of Cherrypaw!” A white molly with black splotches hissed, claws unsheathed as she was prepared to attack Stickpaw. Once Tallpeak and Jaggedleg emerged from the bushes, the Thunderclan molly started to cower in fear.

“Funny how Fallenmoon told us to go after you Robinpaw, if it weren’t for her we wouldn’t have caught these crooks stealing our prey,” Stickpaw said, staring down the Thunderclan apprentice she had pinned.

“We’ve got kits and queens back at camp, how else do we feed ‘em when it’s a famine and there’s a fresh dead squirrel just lying about?” the amber and white tom, Cherrypaw, spat in reply.  
Kits…they have kits.

Robinpaw looked at the black and white tom in front of her, who was shielding his clanmate. Even with his scruffy pelt, Robinpaw could catch a glimpse of his ribcage sticking out from underneath his dark fur.

They were starving too, just like she was…just like her clan was. And they have kits, just like they once had. Kits that could starve…just as Fuzzkit and Cloudkit did.

“Let them have the squirrel” Robinpaw spoke, breaking the chilling silence that had settled like fog amongst the gathered cats, “They have kits to feed…we can’t let what happened to Fuzzkit and Cloudkit happen to them”

“Even if they had refused to help us in the past?” Tallpeak asked, Jaggedleg's eyes growing dark at the mention of the deceased kits' names.

She nodded. He smiled in return, “A wise choice young Robinpaw, Stickpaw, let go of the Thunderclan apprentice. Cherrypaw, was it?”.

As Stickpaw obeyed her mentor’s commands and the Thunderclan apprentices reunited, Robinpaw turned towards Jaggedleg: “Aren’t you against this?”.

“Of course not! I mean, well...Fuzzkit and Cloudkit were my siblings too and-... and I don't want anyone to go through what I did....Besides, Sheeppaw's injured and we need to get the cobwebs. We don’t need bloodshed today...and I don't need to lose another sibling” She responded with eyes so dark not even sunlight could shine in them.

Robinpaw sighed in relief, her brown eye and blue eye both meeting the forest green gaze of the Thunderclan tom.

“Take it” She mewed, pointing her dark ginger tail, speckled with only a single black spot, towards the strangely scented squirrel. He paused for a moment, taking one paw step, then two, then three before darting towards the squirrel and grabbing it.

“Thank you” He mumbled under the squirrel fur, returning to his clanmates, before slipping away into the bushes of Thunderclan territory.

“Duskpaw, I swear I’ve heard that name before” Tallpeak murmured, as Robinpaw wrapped the cobwebs around a stick she had found laying beside the riverbed.

“...Galestrike’s son. She was Nightclaw’s rival, right? I remember some of the warriors saying she would have been deputy if she wasn’t expecting Snooktooth’s kits” Jaggedleg asked after a few minutes, Tallpeak replied with a nod.

“Yes I heard that too, he was exiled from Thunderclan a few moons before she gave birth”

“Poor kit, he must be feeling lost in his own clan without a father. His mother’s reputation is the only thing shielding him from the hate”

Robinpaw paused for a moment, looking over her shoulder to glance at the bushes. Maybe she and Duskpaw had something else in common besides being starving apprentices…  
“Robinpaw, you coming?” Robinpaw turned back to her clanmates with a nod, with the stick covered in cobwebs held tightly in her jaws.

As the small patrol departed from the Red Riverbed, a black and white tom watched from the shadows of Thunderclan’s woods, a limp squirrel dangling in his jaws. He dipped his head towards the direction of the departing patrol, whispering something just before he followed his clanmates back home:

“I’ll make it up to you”


End file.
